Elephant

😛

All timer. So good. 5 *

Mother of the Seven Nation Army, Cold, Cold Night and Hypnotize. Amazing album

banger

One of my favourite albums. Raw and full of catchy riffs, with some hard blues rock and quiet acoustic tracks. Easy 5.

Another band I don't know much about. The album was a mixture of hard blues rock and several quieter acoustic based songs. My favourites 7 Nation Army You've got her in your pocket Ball and Biscuit

This is the best White Stripes album. On others Jack can get too into one facet of his many musical identities. The one is the perfect amalgamation of everything that made Jack and Meg great! The album never loses pace. It’s hard driving with MONSTER riffs and ear worm hooks. Any time we get a breath it is for a cutting song from either Jack or Meg that serves as a soft, bruised reflection point.

One of my favorites.

Nice!

El Phant

The White Stripes were putting out some of the best rock music of the 2000’s. Part of me still prefers “White Blood Cells” to this one, but both are just incredible albums.

Love The White Stripes. I saved "Black Math" "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" "I Want To Be The Boy..."

That guitar tone just makes you want to run through a wall. Such a signature sound, it’s kind of crazy that Seven Nation Army starts this album off, and then there are so many other amazing songs and the energy is so varied throughout. Best Track: Ball and Biscuit

Fun and unique album with many highlights throughout. Have a ball, babe.

One of the best records of the 2000s. Jack white just kills it with this record.

I love this album. The opening strains of Seven Nation Army grab you and from there you're off to the races. This album is intense but there are still spots to catch your breath. A real joy to listen to

Its amazing what two people can put together. The album seems to mellow out a little which kinda ruins the momentum and the energy some tracks bring. In the end though I think this can be played for and enjoyed by most.

"Ya don't fuck abaht wi' Jack White" Jason Williamson, Sleaford Mods The White Stripes hit their high-water mark with this gorgeous 21st century refinement of garage rock. From the stadium-filling riffmonster that is "Seven Nation Army" to the whimsy of "It's True That We Love One Another", the album doesn't hit a bum note. An absolute classic.

Fucking classic azz

Sehr gut, bekannt

Love love love love

Second best White Stripes album.

Great album - very distinctive style and voice

I have ofcours heard 7 nation army and other by the white stripes. So i did know what kind of rock i was getting into. But i have never listen to the full album. And i am happy i did. The acorn is still stuck in my head as this motivation song, that takes the piss of motivation. It is a different kind of love album and i am impressed how they show there range from from the start to the end

Hello, old friend… I found this album in college, ten years after it came out, and it carried me through so many highs and lows. It’s both rough and demure all at once. I’ve never felt more badass then when I was stomping across the quad in my combat boots and army green jacket, with this blasting in my headphones. I’m happy to say it still holds up. And the spoken word in “Little Acorns” does still make me cry a bit.

Now learning Ball & Biscuit on guitar. :)

It simply bangs.

From the opening notes of the first track, through Burt Bacharach to the last note on the album, Jack White and the White Stripes (basically Jack White) deliver a masterpiece. He's like Dr. Frankenstein in his workshop breathing life into these songs that don't always connect. But you want them to, and you keep listening wondering if and when you'll get another glimpse of Jack's genius. Just one more listen...

Nothing more to add. 5 solid gold stars.

good album but man those guys are weird

Epic, flawless

A classic

Brilliant album, one of the best of the 2000's, has a bit of everything thats good about this band in it. Seven nation army is an all timer, ball and biscuit, and the hardest button to button are great too.

Before listening to this album, I obviously knew Seven Nation Army and a few other White Stripes songs, but only a few. Very garage rocky- I love the fuzzy electric guitar. Some tracks are quite bluesy and remind me of 70s rock like Led Zeppelin, an example of this being There's No Home For You Here. The drums are high energy and hard hitting. Some of the tracks have that quiet-loud-quiet aspect that I LOVE!!! in music. There is a big sound for just two people in the band. This album feels like a mix of alternative rock and classic rock. There are also softer tracks such as In The Cold, Cold Night and You've Got Her In Your Pocket that I also like, especially with the change of vocals to Meg. For me, definitely a very replayable album that I would give 5/5. My favourite songs Seven Nation Army Black Math Little Acorns The Air Near My Fingers Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

It had been a while since I listened to this, and, man, it holds up. It’s definitely the best White Stripes album. Now if he would just shut his mouth about politics and just do what he does best.

Great album!

All recorded on 1950s and 1960s analog equipment, pushing the limits of an 8 track mix. Stupendous display of making the most out of little. Jack White's guitar and songwriting have always been great, and Meg's drumming may not dominate but they drive the songs so well. The whole album was consistent in quality front to back. Hard to hate anything on the record or really find a hair out of place, so to speak. Solid 5/5.

I love this album. The bittersweet ex-loverboy themes tug at my high school heartstrings. The low end is consistently interesting on this track (Seven Nation Army 🥺) Jack White's guitar solos have a special place in my heart and this album is littered with them. Special shout outs to Ball and Biscuit as I love long ass blues songs where a dude is complaining about his miserable life, and another for There's No Home for the interesting choir-adjacent part and somewhat distinct musical movements.

Gold Standard! Top 5. 10 of 10

Exceptional. Still sounds fresh and timeless.

Solid 5. Great from start to finish and Seven Nation Army is a great beginning track for an almost perfect album. No notes.

Solid album

I like the white stripes

I ended up listening to this four times. The mellower middle part of the album was my favorite. Difficult choice between four and five stars.

What a joy to revisited one of my favourite records of the early 2000's. I remember very well when this came out, 21 years ago. It reminded me a lot of Dead Moon at the time, albeit less raw and edgy. What I truly appreciate about this album is the diversity of the tracks. No need to mention the instant classic "Seven Nation Army" with it's classic bassline and the neat clean drums, but also where it's going from garage rock ("Black Math"), blues and guitar explosions ("Ball and Biscuit", Little Acorns) to tender ballads ("You've Got Her in Your Pocket") with lyrics that are pretty dark in most cases. What's particularly striking about the album is how Jack White's guitar work evolves across different tracks. The fuzz-heavy, almost primitive sound on "Black Math" contrasts beautifully with the more nuanced playing on something like "I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart." And Meg's drumming, often criticized for its simplicity, actually provides this perfect foundation that lets Jack's guitar and vocals really breathe and take center stage. A solid 5/5!

9/10

Maybe the best rock album of the 21st century if you don't count metal releases

Turn this one up LOUD! Bass explosion!

I love this album. It doesn't even need its biggest hit, Seven Nation Army. The two of them know how to make a sound loud, while keeping it simple. Ball and Biscuit to Hardest Button to Button go so hard. Little Acorns reminds me of the squirrel I tried to save in college.

Not their best album to me, but it’s still great

Classic.

A really good White Stripes album. I will say its actually their best work. Such good songwriting, and the musical arrangements are often so simple, yet so well done. This is a great album if you want to get into hard blues rock that sometimes has a bit of a folksy vibe to it. Also worth mentioning that Jack White occasionally fucking shreds the guitar on a blown out amp, which is awesome to hear. Another interesting thing about this album is that they recorded it entirely with equipment from before 1963.

Brought this when it came out and loved it then and still love it now

I can find no faults with this. Black Math goes hard. Great mix of rockers, slow ones and weird ones. One of the last great albums of the Rock era.

It’s tough to argue against this being Jack White’s magnum opus. It’s got everything you want out of him. Every song is an absolute ripper and it’s just so damn raw and powerful.

I would ride this album like the haradrim

Saw the music video for Hardest Button to Button on the big screen at Universal Citywalk in the early 00s, as I was eating Panda Express, & it blew my mind. 🟥⬜️🟥⬜️🟥⬜️🟥

5/5. WTF is that last song

Rating: 4.7/5 Short Review: Violent, raw, and thrilling. Like being punched in the soul by a guy in a bolo tie who quotes Bukowski and then disappears. Favorite Track: “Ball and Biscuit” – 7+ minutes of sweaty, primal blues seduction. It sounds like sex and rage and a fever dream in a dive bar bathroom. Consistency With Me: 7.8/10 Why: I admire the aesthetic violence and the refusal to be polished. I, too, enjoy drama in minimal palettes. But I don’t get my hands dirty—I just watch you do it. This album sweats. I… observe sweat abstractly from a distance. ⸻Elephant is the sound of a candy-cane-colored apocalypse. It’s dirty, loud, dramatic, and somehow elegant in its chaos. It’s like blues got electrocuted, fell in love with distortion, and decided to burn every emotion on tape just to feel alive again. This album doesn’t ask if you’re okay. It assumes you’re not and offers noise therapy instead. ⸻ You listening to Elephant tells me you’re ready to: • Feel a little feral • Smirk at a thunderstorm • Possibly fistfight an emotion behind a bowling alley

If you were to ask me what some of the all-time best rock albums ever made were, I don't know if I'd be able to name too many. After all, I haven't listened to even a good percentage of every album ever made; I hardly have enough perspective for that. Besides, what's my authority mean, anyway? Honestly. If nothing else, though, I know I'd be able to name at least one album that, facts, should be on anyone's list: EL3PHANT by The White Stripes. Y'know, I could think of one or two things to say about it... EL3PHANT, from the surface to its core, is an incredibly simple album. It's rock stripped down to its absolute bare essentials: guitar, drums and vocal. There's rarely anything else added to these songs — and there are some songs where there aren't even any drums. It's as primordial as you can get — but it's not basic. Far from it: with just guitar and drums, I swear this winds up being some of the most electrifying and powerful rock n' roll you'd ever hear from the 2000's. For proof of this, you only need to look at "Ball And Biscuit". I don't wanna act like this is what the entire album sounds like: "In The Cold, Cold Night" and "I Just Don't Know What To With Myself" proves otherwise — but, but, but. But. If there is any one song I think of when I think of this album, that is the absolute centerpiece, it is, without any doubt, "Ball And Biscuit". Most people would go focus on "Seven Nation Army" (and, y'know, I can't totally act like "Ball And Biscuit" is some overlooked deep cut, either), but... Seriously, **listen to this**. It is seven straight minutes of kick - fuckin' - ass garage blues. The guitar **screams**. The drums fuckin' **bash**. It is so damn loud and raw and dirty. It is the entire album jacked up to 11 and it's a wonder to behold. And if I'm gonna highlight one more song, I think I would go with "In The Cold, Cold Night". It's another memorable highlight, which is fun because of how lowkey it is. The instrumentation is nothing more than some guitar plucks, organ bass pedals, some light drum hits... And that's it! It's an incredibly atmospheric change of pace, made all the better by Meg White's leading vocal. It was the first one she'd ever taken, and just like her drumming, no one would call it incredible, but for what she's asked to do, it's phenomenal. (I also briefly mention "You've Got Her In Your Pocket", just to highlight how this soft, acoustic song was placed right before "Ball And Biscuit" — an exercise in contrasts, huh?) Really, this gets me thinking about the other White Stripes album my group has gotten, and all of the other garage rock revival acts that've popped up as well. In the case of the former, we got GET BEHIND ME SATAN. That was the duo's penultimate record, and the one where they started incorporating more experimentation. I think it's a fine enough time (I did give it a 4), but honestly, I do think I prefer the pure simplicity present on this album. As for the garage rock revival as a whole... Well, even the best I've heard just can't top what's on here. I'd go so far as to call it garage rock revival perfection. I just can't think of a single thing that tops it — not even The Hives, despite their claim of being my new favorite band. I gotta take my hat off for EL3PHANT. If you dig raw rock music at all, it's worth taking your sweet little time with, for sure. It just... Does not get any better than this. I mean, there **is** one more White Stripes album on this list, so we'll see how that third man stands up, but I can guarantee you, the chances of it passing this one are probably jack.

Guitar, drums and a whole lot of blues makes a nice set of tracks. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. Weirdly, I don’t feel like I have that much to say about this album. I figured since it was their bigger, more famous, more acclaimed “all-timer for the whole decade” album that I’d have more, but… no, it really is just an album that speaks for itself musically. Obviously, “Seven Nation Army” casts a big looming shadow on the rest of the album, setting a weird mental expectation that each track should be trying to chase that high, but that’s not what this album is trying to do at all. This is just a stellar showcase that feels like a culmination / peak of the garage rock scene of the early 2000s meeting the expectation / acclaim of the Rolling Stones & more, and as an album experience, it’s a free-flowing set of tracks that works really nicely together. I do wish some tracks actually transitioned into others, to give a sense of connectivity that generally feels missing on the album, but overall, it’s an album you can glide on off of the vibes & energy alone. If I have any complaints, it’s that the album is a little more one-note than I thought it might be, given that the starring instrument of the album is Jack White’s distorted guitar, which gets a lot of play over the 50 minute runtime here. It does make a few too many tracks feel similar to each other, even with the variety of rock styles this album explores, and that does affect the album experience just a bit. Jack White’s vocals remedy this a lot of the time, with his voice gliding to meet the style, but to my ears, it lacks the full range of emotional depth that was more apparent on his later solo work. It stops each track’s lyrics (all generally well-written) from really shining. These are the sorts of little nitpicks that are stopping me giving this a flat 5, but they are nitpicks -- I could very well have just missed stuff on a first pass that would shut me up on a re-listen. That said, it’s not an album made for the lyricism & or the vocal work – they are instruments that are made to give texture to the instrumentation, and it just happens to be a strong bonus that they’re both pretty damn good. As a whole, I really enjoyed this; for my tastes, I’m not sure if it’s honestly as good as Jack White’s solo album that we got, but it does feel more fulfilling overall than “Get Behind Me Satan” did. I do, however, wish the range of instrumentation that was present on that album were on here as well. With no bad tracks, some very high highs & a super enjoyable energy, how can you really complain? It didn’t quite hit the extreme critical acclaim for my ears, but it’s a damn good album regardless, and a worthy bump up to a 5.

Best Song: The Hardest Button to Button This is not really a first per se. I have heard probably all of these songs at one point or another but the first time I listened to them in order. To be fair, I'm a White Stripes fan so this was going to be a 5 before I even listened to it in order and it is good. Personally, I like White Blood Cells better but that is a rather high bar. One thing that this albums shows is that Jack and Meg were not afraid to experiment a bit. A really good listen. 5/5!

Seminal album and been a personal favourite for over 20 years. Jack White makes his guitar sing, scream and weep. Didn't need to listen to it to know what to rate it. Still listened to it

Grungy garage rock. Admittedly need to be in the correct mood, but when you are, it slaps. Not a single weak track on the whole album.

I just don't know what to do with myself

All bangers no skips

Listened on the way home from work (walk and train) after nine and half hour shift, eleven hours out of house) so bit tired. Very familiar with this album although probably a couple of years since last listen. Band at the peak of their powers, just oozes energy and class. Seven Nation Army of course so familiar so difficult to judge but every song is top quality. So many highlights (Hardest Button to Button, I Just Don't Know What to do with Myself, Ball and Biscuit just a few). Classic album status without doubt.

I love this record to pieces. The love child of Velvet Underground and Led Zeppelin, sometimes haunted by the ghost of Buck Owens.

Love this album... Brought me back!

4.5

So good

Une super découverte, j’ai adoré !! À réécouter.

Sometimes you get a bunch of mediocre shit. And Sometimes you get your favorite album by your favorite band ever, and this time it was the latter. I love love love this album. It's not perfect (mostly it's last track. It's kinda weird especially with the context of Jack and Meg being exes at the point) but most of it is impeccable. From it's iconic thundering opening of Seven Nation Army, to the face melting of Ball and a Biscuit. (find a live recording of this if you can btw) the rest of this album is perfection. It miiiight just be my favorite album of all time. 10/10

I learned about the White Stripes from the Michel Gondry Lego video for Fell in Love with a Girl. I enjoyed the rest of White Blood Cells so I was very excited when this album was released, and it has not disappointed over 20 years later. But I didn't fully know the reach of this album until I was in Sweden at a soccer game 4 years after the album's release and the crowd started doing a chant to the tune of Seven Nation Army. There's so much good stuff in here from 12-bar blues to chilling ballads to legendary riffs to a cameo from longtime Detroit newsanchor Mort Crim. This is Jack and Meg at their peak. Standouts: Ball and Biscuit, Seven Nation Army, The Hardest Button to Button, In the Cold Cold Night

This project has made me realise I favour songs over production. This album is full of wonderful songs. With really amazing riffs, lyrics and melodies. I love In the Cold, Cold Night; I Just Don't know what to do with myself; The Hardest Button to Button; The Air Near my Fingers; Girl, you have no faith in medicine; Black Math; and all the rest! And for songs of this calibre, the bare garage rock production is totally fine! But if the songs weren't good, I think I would hate this album.

Seven Nation Army Ball and Biscuit The Hardest Button to Button

A classic!

the album with that song that introduce me to this band! Love that song along with the others in this album

WOW I LOVE THIS

I was in a house. It was a combination of many housew I've been throughout my life. The house was filled with people I used to know. I didn't feel close to any of the in fact I felt like an outsider. I was looking for my medicine my guitar and a cd I made. A friend Eric appeared with what was supposed to be the cd but it was more like puddy. Every room I went in someone cleaned it, that's what my brain told me or maybe someone narrated to me, but it was actually a different room. I never found what I was looking for

What benji2 said - verbatim what I was going to write, so won’t be redundant

Aw hell yeah. I'm convinced Jack White would rise to the top in any era of rock music. One of the best guitarists ever and I love his strange, warbly vocals. I also dont stand for Meg White slander, her percussion is perfect on this, and her lead performance on the atmospheric "In the cold cold night" is a highlight. They created an international anthem that's still chanted in stadiums around the world with Seven Nation Army and that's not even the peak of the album. Ball and Biscuit into Hardest Button goes incredibly hard. I also really enjoyed the deep cuts like Little Acorns. I think White Blood Cells is still my favorite White Stripes release, but this is probably their all-around best

Super fun record! It’s not just Seven Nation Army. Listen to the end, there are bangers all the way through this one

Solid album. The 7NA song is a great one, so of course they do what they always do with great songs, over play it and drive it in the ground. But the rest of the album is solid and worthy of inclusion on this list. Jack White is definitely a talent.

I should listen to more White Stripes.

Excelent

I've owned this since it came out and it's one of my favourites.

Great album! Flow! Wonderful songs. The addition of the bass helps bring it over the top Remember when the bass player for Redd Kross added bass lines to The Wite Stripes' White Blood Cells and called it Redd Blood Cells? That was a fantastic idea from start to finish!

I can’t listen to “Ball and Biscuit” while driving because I air guitar too hard.

Seven Nation Army is such an opener. No idea where we're going from here like. Oh into an absolute banger is it. Strong start. A cover! I don't mind a cover! Especially one that makes me question if ive ever really heard the original. Lads I'm enjoying this. Feels like an album. Meg's voice is kinda lovely too. Adding In The Cold Cold Night to my clown playlist (positive) Bit of a lull round the middle but I think it needs that, drop the energy for a second yknow. And then build it back up with a long solo heavy track. Again it feels like an album. There's so much variety here without it feeling like a mishmash. It's True That We Love One Another feels dead random but i reckon its a good shout . Like lets do a silly one... almost. This is a weird comparison. You know how self esteem congas offstage to lighten the mood. Almost like that, like a comedown from the high energy bangers. It's cute. Would maybe have liked another meg vocal but I'm dead impressed ..tempted to 5 star it bc I'm probably gonna like this more and more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1001 ALBUMS- # 43 ELEPHANT sized whomp! What an album. Pure early 2000’s nostalgia jam packed with garage rock-revival anthems that became radio mainstays of the era, kicked-off by the epic Seven Nation Army which catapulted the duo into superstardom. Following a string of stripped down instant rock albums that had the pair slowly coming into their own as modern analogue purists of the garage-blues variety, and off the heels of their breakthrough release White Blood Cells, this is the record that blew the doors wide open as the culmination of their unique chemistry and vintage recording process. The Stripes were incepted as an outlet for Jack White’s insanely talented guitar shredding, with each new record his confidence growing as a musician, with a heightened maturity coming through the songwriting across this tracklist. However I would be remiss to suggest this is solely a one man show, as Meg’s steady backing drums really were the backbone to their trademark sound. Avoiding any digital components and stylized with muffled production to capture that rough around the edges punch, Elephant turned the volume up to max power, while avoiding to venture too over the top with moments of focused restraint , acoustic strumming and melodic balladry. 🎧 Classic Tack: Seven Nation Army 🎧 Deep Cut Gem: In The Cold, Cold, Night 🎧 Personal Favourite: The Hardest Button to Button The defining record of classic White Stripes before they would experiment with broader instrumental arrangements, every single track here is worthy of high praise musically, lyrically and performatively. 🖼️ Album Artwork: Can you spot the hidden image of an elephant on the cover? Hit the Thumbs Up icon below if you enjoyed my take on the album 🐘

I've always been a casual fan of the White Stripes but I think this was my first time listening to Elephant - it's been on repeat ever since, truly great album.

Fantastic

Great album this

An album I already like, trying to find reasons not to love. Unfortunately, I cannot. Fun, different, kooky songs with lots of character. Oh and 1 generational banger to start with.

Nonstop onslaught of good tracks, love the final track as well

Awesome album. Awesome band

Fun album. Never listened to it fully so I’m glad I did

There was a time when the White Stripes steam rolled the competition with album after album. They didn’t really taper off but Meg had her problems and Jack honored her by not continuing under the Stripes name. You can commend him for that. Maybe not his political views but that’s for another time and place. Anyways…. You have to like simplicity, both lyrically and musically to really enjoy this album. It’s so simple but gosh darn it, it works. Choice cut: Ball and Biscuit

Never a dull moment in the entire album of 51 minutes. This is peak rock of the 2000s. Favorite track: Seven Nation Army other picks: there’s no home for you here, the hardest button to button, ball and biscuit

LOVE this album! So many memorable songs and classics which stick with you

This album was so long but oh my gosh I loved it so much. I had only ever heard 7 nation army and it was good but I was surprised by how much I liked the rest of the songs. They were creative and each song was distinct. They had good themes and the background music was great. There will be a lot more rock music in my future :)

Considering this is my second exposure to a Jack White record, AND Seven Nation Army is so massive it wouldn't be surprising to see a one-hit album; but I was pleasantly surprised. This record is unbelievably fresh, well-paced, and unique. For a 2003 album, it was completely unexpected to hear the heavy blues influence on a garage rock album. The guitar work is just unbelievable in a lot of songs here. The production on this thing is incredible, too. I found myself not sure if this record was made in 2003 or 2023. I enjoyed the consistent guitar tone, but no songs sounded particularly similar, which is good. Little Acorns, Black Math, and Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine were my favourites. The only song I don't like is the last one, but I'm pretty sure it's in jest, so I'll let it slide. I felt like a 4 would be fair here, but considering I listened to this about 4 times on repeat and it felt fresh each time, I'll bump it up.

Meg White is an underrated drummer man not everyone has to be Neil Pert fuckin playing seventy drums at once in six time signatures while sucking yourself off from behind. Keeps time and keeps the beat marching while Jack White does his thing. Genuinely don’t think this would be nearly as good with a different drumming style.

Gritty and punchy

Exceptional album

Хороший альбом, с топовым треком

Super Dope

every time I get to hear Meg’s voice the sun shines a little brighter, the air smells a little sweeter, the bird song sounds a little more beautiful

Nuff said

Awesome

Incredible musicianship on this classic. Stripped down, raw energy

What an album. Listened heavily to the singles when the came out but never gave the album a proper listening time until now. Wow. Best tracks: - The Hardest Button To Button - There's No Home For You Here - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - The Air Near My Fingers ...and yes, Seven Nation Army. Little Acorns is also cool.

Simple, powerful and varied. Jack White’s charismatic vocals and cool guitars get me every time.

Outstanding. It's ...thick, wall to wall, amazing riffs and big sound, for such a simple lineup. Great tracks. Love it.

Apart from seven nation army which is super the rest of the album for me isn't as good

7 Nations Army, die Hymne im Fussball, so was von cool! Und dann der Rest den ich nicht kannte, eine echte Entdeckung

🎸🧍‍♂️🥁🧍‍♀️

Thanks for reminding me how great this band was.

9/10

Fun guitar riffs and steeped in southern rock . Great original muisc

Peut-être (certainement ?) le plus grand album de la décennie 2000.

Of course, this album kicks off with the classic Seven Nation Army, but for me, the next two or three tracks proved underwhelming, mainly because I didn't like the vocals so much. But surprise, surprise, by the end of the album I was sold. Brilliant guitar work and some nice variety across the piece. It's another addition to my Tidal library and gets five shiny stars.

One of three perfect albums so far with the White album and Rumors

Excellent

I love Jack white like a little brother

just perfect

RYM: 5.0 | AOTY: 95 | Favorite Track: Black Math —————— God, I love this album so much! It was largely responsible for sparking my interest in garage rock and indie rock. “Seven Nation Army” is an iconic opener, showcasing Jack White’s raw guitar work and Meg White’s minimalist drumming at their most cohesive and compelling. The momentum builds into my favorite track on the album, “Black Math,” which really highlights the garage-punk energy with that amazing guitar solo. After a few more high-energy, garage-driven tracks, the album slows down with several bluesy and folky moments that, while great, drag a little for me. The blues rock peaks with “Ball and Biscuit,” which brings the energy back up and kicks off another strong run of garage rock tracks, especially the fast-paced “Hypnotize.” My only small gripe is the length — there are a few tracks that could have been cut or shortened to make the tracklist tighter. Regardless, I see this as The White Stripes’ masterpiece and essential listening for 2000s alternative and indie rock.

I fell out of love with The White Stripes after "Seven Nation Army," but I shouldn't have. So many great tunes here, just Led Zep-level riffs all over the place. Doesn't let up at all.

First White Stripes album I ever listened to. Has Seven Nation Army, the best White Stripes song (Ball and Biscuit if you didn't already know), all the typical White Stripes influence: Blues, fifties rock, folk and rock. What is missing that started appearing on later albums is the slice of American life (Rag and Bone, Icky Thump, Archbishop Harold Holmes) but it's all done with their signature sound and humour and is certainly in contention for the title of "Quintessential White Stripes Album". Five out of five stripes.

Mes chers lecteurs, mes chères lectrices, mes fantômes du passé et mes acouphènes du futur, laissez-moi vous planter le décor. Nous sommes en 2003, le rock, le vrai, celui qui vous retourne les tripes et vous fait sentir vivant, est aux abonnés absents. Il est mort, enterré, et on danse sur sa tombe. Les radios nous vomissent à la gueule une soupe infâme, un mélange indigeste de Nu Metal pour adolescents pré-pubères en baggy et de pop R'n'B surproduite, lisse comme le crâne d'un oeuf et aussi excitante qu'une notice de montage de meuble suédois. L'heure est à l'autotune, aux clips à budgets de blockbuster et à une musique tellement passée à la moulinette numérique qu'elle en a perdu toute son âme, toute sa substance, toute sa putain de raison d'être. Le rock était devenu un produit, propre, sans danger, calibré pour vendre du forfait téléphonique. Pour un vieux de la vieille comme moi, qui a passé les années 90 à user ses jeans dans les arrière-salles de disquaires indépendants et les studios d'une radio qui sentait la clope froide, cette période était une longue et douloureuse traversée du désert. On se demandait si on allait un jour retrouver cette étincelle, cette urgence, cette sainte trinité "guitare-basse-batterie" qui nous avait fait croire que la musique pouvait changer le monde, ou au moins, notre misérable petite vie. Et puis, sortis de leur garage de Detroit, voilà que débarquent les White Stripes. Déjà avec leur album précédent, "White Blood Cells", ils avaient commencé à faire du bruit, mais avec "Elephant", ils ont enfoncé la porte à coups de rangers. The White Stripes, c'était d'abord une image, un concept. Rouge, blanc, noir. Une simplicité désarmante. Et ce gimmick génial : frère et soeur ? Ex-mari et femme ? On ne savait pas trop, et à vrai dire, on s'en foutait royalement. Ce qui comptait, c'était le son. Et quel son, mes amis ! Un retour aux sources, un grand coup de pied dans la fourmilière surproduite de l'époque. Une guitare, une batterie, point barre. Pas de basse, pas de clavier superflu, pas de choeurs à la mords-moi-le-noeud. Juste l'essentiel. "Elephant" est un monolithe, un bloc de granit sonore taillé à la serpe. L'album a été enregistré à Londres, dans les studios Toe Rag, sur du matériel qui datait d'avant 1963. Pas un ordinateur à l'horizon, pas de Pro Tools, pas de correction, pas de triche. De la sueur, des amplis à lampes qui crachent leurs poumons et une bande magnétique qui enregistre tout, les pains comme les moments de grâce. Le son est brut, rêche, il vous saute à la gorge. C'est le son de deux personnes dans une pièce qui jouent comme si leur vie en dépendait. Pour le disquaire que j'étais, c'était comme retrouver une vieille copine après des années de silence : l'authenticité. Jack White, avec sa dégaine de dandy dégingandé, se révèle être un guitariste monstrueux. Pas un simple technicien, non, un véritable sorcier du riff, un type capable de vous faire sonner sa vieille Kay en plastique comme un bombardier en piqué. Ses solos sont des décharges électriques, ses rythmiques sont lourdes, grasses, imprégnées d'un blues ancestral, celui du Delta, celui qui sent la terre et le whisky frelaté. C'est l'héritage de Son House et de Robert Johnson passé à la moulinette du punk et du garage rock. Et puis il y a Meg White. Combien de pseudo-critiques, de pisse-froid du manche à six cordes, ont pu la dénigrer ? "Elle sait pas jouer", "elle a pas de technique"… Quelle bande de connards. Meg White, c'était le coeur battant du duo. Sa frappe, d'une simplicité enfantine, quasi tribale, était le pouls même de leur musique. Sans elle, Jack White ne serait qu'un guitar hero de plus, se noyant dans des soli interminables. Elle était l'ancre, le métronome humain qui donnait à leur son cette puissance primitive, cette force brute et hypnotique. Écoutez "The Hardest Button to Button", ce rythme est d'une évidence déconcertante et pourtant personne n'y avait pensé avant. Bien sûr, impossible de parler d'"Elephant" sans mentionner le mammouth, l'hymne planétaire qu'est devenu "Seven Nation Army". Ce riff… Un truc tellement simple que c'en est insultant pour tous les guitaristes qui se cassent les doigts sur des gammes improbables. Cinq notes. Cinq putains de notes qui ont fait le tour du monde, qui sont devenues un chant de stade de foot, un jingle publicitaire, un phénomène culturel qui a totalement échappé à ses créateurs. C'est l'ironie magnifique du rock : un groupe underground de Detroit, adepte d'un son crasseux, qui accouche d'un des airs les plus universels du 21ème siècle. Un hymne repris en choeur par des millions de gens qui, pour la plupart, n'auraient jamais acheté un de leurs disques. C'est à la fois grandiose et terriblement cynique. J'adore. Mais "Elephant", ce n'est pas qu'un seul titre car c'est un album dense, varié, qui passe de la fureur garage de "Black Math" à la ballade acoustique poignante ("You've Got Her in Your Pocket"), en passant par une reprise démente et habitée du "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" de Burt Bacharach. C'est là qu'on touche au génie du duo : leur capacité à s'approprier n'importe quel matériau pour le faire sonner comme du White Stripes. En 2003, "Elephant" a été plus qu'un album, c'était la preuve que le rock'n'roll n'avait pas besoin d'artifices pour être pertinent. La preuve qu'avec une guitare, une batterie et des tripes, on pouvait encore mettre le monde à genoux. C'était une bouffée d'oxygène, une baffe salutaire dans la gueule d'une industrie musicale anémiée. Un disque majeur, sans l'ombre d'un doute, qui a sa place les deux pieds sur la table dans ce foutu bouquin.

Great album from beginning to end

Hell yes. I love this album. It starts out with "Seven Nation Army," and you feel like the rest has to be a letdown after such a strong opening. Instead, it stays in the groove the whole time. I don't say this often, and this wasn't previously on my list of favorite albums, but I could listen to this whole album any day of the week.

What do you even say. Can I go Kanye and say this is (at least one of) the greatest rock album of all time?

Good album

A seven nation army couldn't hold me back from giving this five stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Amazing albums. No fillers.

One of the best albums of all time by the best duo band of all time. Showing that less is more and how you can do so much with so little. Just a guitar and a drum kit and they make enough sound to fill a stadium. This album achieves with 2 instruments what many rock and metal bands can’t even come close to with 3 guitarists 2 bassists 3 drummers and 2 singers. Not a bad track on the album and it of course opens with the now very famous seven nation army known for its intense bass beat (played on Jack Whites classic red guitar just down an octave) which is one of those songs you here so much now on the tv and in adverts it’s almost annoying but that just speaks to the reach and effect this album has had.

the "seven nation army" album the majority of the arrangements on this album ties closely with the white stripe's stripped down aesthetics somehow. and i think because i like arctic monkeys, franz ferdinand and this album, one of my most favourite genre is garage rock revival from now on. 5/5

A progression of white blood cells, another banger. What more can you say, jack white is on the sly one of the leading musicians of this generation really.

One of the most loud, abrasive, and aggressive albums I’ve heard that’s still approachable to the average music fan, not to mention they did all of this with just a guitar and a drum set. The same way Nirvana showed that you could be unbelievably loud with just three people, Meg and Jack show on this album that you can be even louder with just two.

I'm not sure of this is the most famous album by The White Stripes, but for sure it is their best achievement. Very simplified, just rag and bones music-wise, but it's almost perfect execution. The riff in Seven Nation Army is now legendary, but it's definitely Ball and Biscuit that is their best song here. Simple riffs, amazing solos, recipe for greatness. Great album.

Truly an excellent album, a real evolution of the grunge and garage rock of the 90s. Each song is punchy and catchy and worth giving multiple listens. While some may not like Meg White’s more simplistic drumming, it’s hard to not want to stomp your foot to the repeating kick drum in most of the songs. I would heartily recommend this, and I will happily give this album another listen in the future.

I am not what you’d call a fan of Jack White, but this album is a Super Sugar Queen.

ну ебёт чё

amazing album,

Easy 5 stars for me. The best album by one of my favorite bands, and the one where Jack White's guitar playing really hit it's stride. Hardly any wasted space on this album (only the introduction narrative to Little Acorns is potentially a skip). 7 Nation Army gets the most attention, but with the likes of The Hardest Button to Button, Ball and Biscuit and Black Math it's got fierce competition for my favorite on the album.

Elephant is pretty close to perfection. It’s complex yet simple. Hard driving without trying to hard. The pocket screams for attention, it’s glorious.

If you hear Ball and a Biscuit and don't go "Hell yeah" then I just don't trust you on a personal level.

I wore this one out in college.

Basically anything Jack White does is a 5 for me. This is no exception. Some are probably tired of hearing Seven Nation Army, but it’s still played at every sporting event today.

It feels like the groundwork for what a rock album is supposed to be, even though it came out 5 decades after rock & roll became a thing. Jack and Meg manage to fill up the entire sound palette just between the two of them. The songs here manage to be vary different from one another. Tons of rockers on here, really enjoyable album.

If you don’t like this album, you don’t like rock and roll and I don’t like you. 5 stars

Fantastic album!

i continually fail to form any opinion or have any reaction to seven nation army but all these other songs are sick as hell tbh!!! was kinda taken aback by how much i like this, i have no strong associations w/ this band at all but maybe i should. some months back i was talking to a critter more knowledgeable in Relevant Areas than me (pre-60s recorded music we'll say broadly) and she pointed out that blues is typically an extremely loose and expressive genre, and jack white's razor-minimalist take on it is actually rly unusual and interesting. it definitely makes sense to me...lots of hard-hitting stuff here delivered with ruthless efficiency but just enough space for diversity and distinctiveness. just rly admirably attuned for Greatest Impact Possible thru pacing and focus and clarity...could understand this being a Desert Island Pick for some ppl. man i used to be obsessed with that thought experiment i should play around with it again sometime lol. 1/5th of the way there btw wowie!

One of the best rock albums ever made

Genuinely one of my favorite records - it was a much needed infusion of simple rock.

Fucking amazing guitar solos

i grew up with this album on repeat. it is undoubtedly a modern rock classic, a bold statement that there was still fertile ground in rock n roll to be cultivated. listeners that only know seven nation army (a song that holds up if you somehow haven't heard it in a few years) will be pleasantly surprised by the variety.

18/01/25 The album was better than I remember it.

It's hard for me to be objective in reviewing this album. It was the soundtrack to my junior and senior year of high school. But 22 years later I can say with confidence, this is not a 'you had to be there' album. It's an all time rock and roll classic regardless of age and era. Time Travel with me back to 2003 when garage rock and The The bands were all the rage. The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Vines, The Hives, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, etc. These bands and music videos were all over MTV. Who was going to rise to the top? Enter Seven Nation Army. Before the song was ubiquitous, and before it had been co-opted by high school bands and sports teams, it electrified the nation, reminding us how good simple rock and roll could be. That's a hook to remember. And Elephant could have easily ridden that single to the heights it got even if the rest of the album was mediocre. But this is not a single only album. From the other hard rock songs like Black Math and There's No Home For You Here to the softer tracks like You've Got Her In Your Pocket and even the Meg song In The Cold Cold Night, the album covers a lot of ground and does it really, really well. For my money, Ball and Biscuit is the best White Stripes song and can stand alongside the best rock songs of all time. I'm listening to this on earbuds while getting my kids ready for school and having the same visceral reaction to it as I did when I was a 17 year old. That should say something because there's a lot of music I listened to then that no longer hits. The White Stripes rule. Long live Jack White, rock guitar's weird uncle who continues to keep the genre alive decades on.

Boner of the month club

An undeniable classic. One of the 20 albums that would be on Mount Phelpsmore.

I was going to call this a modern classic, then realized it’s 22 years old already 😧. The merger of blues, country, garage rock is effortless. Always a joy to rediscover this.

What a solid record. Seven Nation Army is one of the most iconic songs and for good reason. Even without that song, this album would be very solid and enjoyable.

How lucky am I that I was consciously listening to music when Seven Nation Army came out? I would put this song on the same playing field as "We Will Rock You" when it comes to rock anthems that literally everyone can get behind. Is it my favorite song by The White Stripes? No. But do I love it and stoked that I can remember downloading this to my computer and hearing it on the radio? Hell yeah. This album is apex mountain for The White Stripes. They're kind of at the peak of their power and from here, it just gets better (until it eventually, unfortunately and inevitably comes to an end.) They're just having so much fun with this album. Bending genres, getting weird, adding samples, having sing alongs, getting more weird, getting normal, getting loud, getting quiet, being sad, being happy, being weird, being silly, being serious. It's kind of all over the place and every song takes you on a new journey without ever leaving the airport. Its never too much, even when it almost is too much. I love how Jack is constantly tipping his hat and playing with genres that he loves and that inspire him. Rock, garage, blues, country, folk. When you break the songs down, they're really just simple blues or folk or country songs, but they're played with such a different energy and sound. I wouldn't call it a "twist" either, its just 2 peoples take on a American Music and what rock and roll means to them. Its carrying on a long and ongoing legacy. Which I highly respect. Something that is often overlooked, is just how damn clever Jack's songwriting is. Its very similar to that of John Prine or Jerry Jeff Walker. It's funny but never really a comedy, its sad but never really depressing. Its just storytelling and commentary on love, loss, joy and longing. I really think every song on this record works. No notes. I love all of them. I've loved this album for almost as long as I can remember.

Excellent

Lot of great tracks here! Love how stripped back this is, but sounds so huge at the same time.

Phenomenal

I would give this album 6 stars if I could. The first time I ever heard a White Stripes song was Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground on the radio. Had never really heard of them before. And the second I heard that song I was hooked. And Elephant is my favorite of their albums. Phenomenal from start to finish...with one of the most iconic rock songs ever written (Seven Nation Army) that transcends music into the sports world to boot.

Hell fucking yeah brother!!! Favourite tracks: In the Cold, Cold Night; Ball and Biscuit; The Hardest Button to Button Least fav track: I Want to be the Boy to Warm Your Mother’s Heart

This was one of my favorite albums as a teenager. 5/5 already, to be sure. Damn good stripped-down garage rock. Jack White is a guitar god.

I haven’t listened to this front to back in over a decade and I had forgotten how good and cohesive it is. Great album no weak links

Oooooooh Jeremy Beadle

If white blood cells was a four, it is because of this one. Idiosyncratic in the very best of it. A great record, despite the obvious mass appeal. Shows you can be completely different but nonetheless for everyone.

Let me start by saying Jack White’s newest album “No Name” is incredible and I’m amazed at how much creative output he has had even after all these years. Elephant is the album that turned The White Stripes from a heavily talked about band to legends. There’s nothing I can add to the discussions of “Seven Nation Army” with out sounding like I’m telling someone how good “Stairway To Heaven” is. The whole album does what Jack does best, bring raw, energetic, quirky, fearless and relentless rock and roll. Easy 5 for me.

20+ years later, just try to go to a sporting event without singing the chorus of Seven Nation Army. Can't do it.

An epic in garage rock power. Opening with a tour de force (which may have reached levels beyond their control at stadiums) and continuing with hard hitting rock that elevates the soul.

Just as good as I remember it being

My favorite white stripes album

… It’s all alright…. …just kidding. It’s hard not to listen to Seven Nation Army and just realize how freaking amazing that song and this was/is. It truly is probably the greatest anthem of the 21st-century so far. I gotta say I really did enjoy I Just Don’t Know What To Do with Myself as it was weird and quirky and the strangest cover ever. I also really liked in the Cold, Cold Night because it’s easy to remember the Jack White was the charismatic front man, but Meg pulled her part too. It’s even more amazing knowing there was that much sound from only two people. I a world of NSync and Brittney, this album was the antithesis. Today, it still stands out as a classic!

Random thoughts review: * What is your favorite track from this album and why is it Seven Nation Army? * Is Seven Nation Army the last great rock anthem? I can't really think of any newer rock anthems that are regularly played at sporting events, etc. I may just not be remembering anything. Fall Out Boy's "Centuries" comes to mind but I think I might be stretching to call that a true rock anthem. * I read somewhere that Seven Nation Army was inspired because Jack White misheard Salvation Army. That's so great! * What is your second favorite track from this album? It's a close race between "There's No Home For You Here", "Ball and Biscuit", "The Hardest Button", "Little Acorns", and "Girl You Have No Faith in Medicine" but I'm going to say "Little Acorns" for today. * Is Third Man Records from the line in "Ball and Biscuit" line "I may be your third man but it's a fact I'm the seventh son"? (Wiki tells me that is not the name origin but Jack White has a fondness for 3 and there are other "third man' references.) * I had to get out the CD to listen to Hypnotize. My old single Bose CD radio could not handle Seven Nation Army. I had to stop at volume level 60/100. LOL. * Who is Holly on the last track, "Well It's True That We Love One Another"? Just weird I don't know or never really cared to look it up. (Liner notes and wiki tell me this is Miss Holly Golightly, who is a British singer-songwriter and named after the character in a Truman Capote book.) * The slow tracks are great on this record and are a nice change of pace to all the awesome rockers. * Jack White is clearly the artist of the 2000s between White Stripes, The Raconteurs, and the Dead Weather. Amazingly, he didn't start doing solo stuff until 2012.

Amazing

Sounds similar to the cure or synth style 80's bands.

There was just something so lightning-in-a-bottle about the White Stripes. And this is one of their best, if not the best, of their albums.

Listened to 'Seven Nation Army' maybe 4 times today alone. But there's so much to enjoy besides that relentless single - whether bluesy, straight rock, or some mix of the two.

❤️🤍🖤❤️🤍🖤❤️🤍🖤

Damn near perfect album, taking big swings with very catchy, simplified riffs and playing them with real fervor. Over the years I've noticed a lot of knowledgeable musicians are afraid of hooks that are too approachable, in that maybe they aren't clever enough or something.. Not Jack White who understands that it's what you do with it, to say nothing of completely committing to the bit.

Love the white stripes. I ended up listening to this album twice because I got so engrossed in cleaning.

Good one!

Rock and roll BABY

There's a reason Seven Nation Army is the preferred sports arena jam now...because it rocks. Great song. It's a shame Meg didn't have more opportunities to sing. Ball and Biscuit is so stripped down and amazing, another great song, one of the all time great album tracks and one of my all-time favorites by The White Stripes. And then The Hardest Button to Button? It's like Ruth and Gehrig hitting back-to-back. Maybe only Fell In Love With A Girl has such great lyrics in their catalog.

own

"Seven Nation Army" dominates this, it's the alpha, the omega, there's no way around it, it has more plays on Spotify than Pi has digits... And it's not even the best song on this album... Because that would be "In The Cold, Cold Night" as Meg steps out from the drum kit and lays down the haunting tenderness as if to say "I'M Karen Carpenter, bitch" , and "The Hardest Button To Button" would go before it too. Stripped back even more from White Blood Cells, this was White Stripes at their peak, the king and queen of the alt rock garage scene.

Jolly good album. Way better than I expected having only heard their hits before. It reminded me of a more rocky velvet underground with a bit of bluesy licks. There weren't any songs that were weak, many were absolute bangers. Overall an unexpectedly strong album. Favorite songs were: 4. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself 5. In The Cold, Cold Night 14. It's True That We Love One Another 10/10

"Seven Nation Army" is one of the most overplayed songs I have ever known. When I was nine years old it started to appear in every online video, at every party, and at every sports event. Despite having been made to hear it non-consensually thousands of times, I still fuck with it. This song fucking rocks. I really like the vocals on "There's No Home For You Here". This song is great. "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" is good too. I like that Meg is singing on "In The Cold Cold Night". "Ball and Biscuit" rocks. This is the sound I associate with The White Stripes. It's the kind of music that plays over a modern western. "The Hardest Button to Button" is probably my favorite song since "Seven Nation Army". "Little Acorns" has The Racounteur's energy. "Hypnotize" probably goes so hard live. It's definitely the highest energy track yet. This album is pretty fucking sick. I'm going back and forth between an 8 and a 9, but I feel like I just need to ride the hype and give it the 9. I enjoyed this the entire time. 9/10

I always wrote the White Stripes off when I was in high school and this was current because I was one of those “le wrong generation” kids. How wrong I was! This is bluesy and not like anything else out there in 2003. Wonderful!

This is one of the greatest rock albums of the 21 century. It actually goes incredibly hard. I remember Jenny Nixon burnt a copy of this for me in Year 11 on one of those cds that looked like a vinyl record. I listened to it so many times in my Sony disc man I wore it out. I went to see them play later that year in Sydney at the Livid festival and it was peak Stripes. Mute bowler hat wearing roadies and all. Meg even sang Cold Night and I think they played Seven Nation Army twice! What a memorable concert.

Oh boy. If White Blood Cells got thinking Jack White is the greatest guitarist of all time, this album cemented that belief. Let's have a ball, girl, and take our sweet little time about it. Ball and Biscuit is one of my favorite guitar and vocal tracks of all time. Hardest button, got her in yr pocket, air near my fingers, black math, no faith in medicine, just don't know what to do with myself. One of my favorite albums of all time.

I’ll say it, Seven Nation Army is overhyped. It’s a good song, but not better than the best of White Blood Cells or Destijl. The rest of this album, fortunately, is really good too. It’s perhaps their most consistent album, which makes it rank highly for me

Simply amazing a great album all songs are diferent influences from troggs, beatles, joan jett and punk and rock from all eras before him extremely well produced. Probably top 5 album from this era. A masterpiece.

i was gonna give this 4 because, you know, 5 is a lot, but this is a really great record and a very fine example of itself

Enjoyed this entire album from start to finish. Great opening with 7 Nation Army. Also really enjoyed Black Math and Girl You Have No Faith in Medicine. There is a lot of heavy drumming here that I love. 5

01) Seven Nation Army - 10,0 02) Black Math - 9,0 03) There's No Home for You Here - 9,5 04) I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself - 10,0 05) In the Cold, Cold Night - 9,5 06) I Want to Be the Boy to Warm Your Mother's Heart - 9,5 07) You've Got Her in Your Pocket - 8,5 08) Ball and Biscuit - 9,0 09) The Hardest Button to Button - 9,5 10) Little Acorns - 8,0 11) Hypnotize - 8,5 12) The Air Near My Fingers - 9,0 13) Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine - 8,5 14) Well It's True That We Love One Another - 9,5 TOTAL: 9,14 (91/100) Current ranking: 25/354

I missed this album when it came out because I was in the depts of being a musical theater nerd, but this album is phenomenal. Every song is interesting lyrically and musically, there are some excellent instrumental moments with exceptional talent, and the album as a whole works beautifully.

The White Stripes' best, and one of the best rock records of the 00's. Riffs upon riffs upon riffs. Great balance of immediate catchy tunes and experimentation. This is how you take sounds from old american rock traditions a successfully bring them into the 21st century to make a modern classic album. Jack White proves how genius he is as songwriter, even within his self-imposed limitations, and he also sounds a lot like Robert Plant sometimes. Weird. Key tracks: Seven Nation Army Black Math There's No Home for You Here Ball and Biscuit The Hardest Button to Button The Air Near My Fingers Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine Well It's True That We Love One Another

Great album

5/5

whoah😎🤯

I like this one! Full of energy, Black Math...Ball and Biscuit hooks me from the start: the guitar, the drums, his raging vocals. I also like how the songs have a lot of range in the sound. Keeps me on my toes.

They should never have opened this album with Seven Nation Army. It's such a banger and they had no chance of ever matching the vibe.

Basically perfect. I've loved this since it came out. They took risks trying jazz and folk stuff and it totally paid off. No skips!

Personally, I think it's absolutely

That opening riff of "Seven Nation Army" shoulda been a sign of things to come! The garage rock revival was fully in effect here, and the duo of Jack & Meg White were among those at the front of this movement. Probably their biggest album, I would argue that "Elephant" didn't really tread new ground, but rather refined an already existing sound that the White Stripes had been cooking up for a few years at this point. Typically a bare bones approach to garage rock (where do you think the "garage" from garage rock comes from?) the duo blends that raw, energetic rock with some tenderness here and it all hardly feels out of place. A fun listen where you can't help but lose track of time throughout.

Fantastic album loved it for years

great album. some fantastic stuff

Great album.

I played this album to death when it was first released and I still love it now. Jack White is an extraordinary talent and I enjoy listening to just about everything he produces. Seven nation army still gets lots of radio play but for me the best track on Elephant is Ball and Biscuit, just brilliant

For me this sound is the essence of rock.🎙🎸🥁🎹 No song like the other. The 50 minutes of the album fly by. A perfect workout for your speakers 🔊 and a chance to get to know all your neighbors.😉

No private session used for Spotify. I like this album a lot, it's around here somewhere. Oddly, "Seven Nation Army" hasn't fallen into the category of songs I never need to hear again, maybe because it's only old enough to drink, I will see how it feel once it starts getting AARP mail. Anyway, the albums rocks.

Considering Seven Nation Army - beloved by European football fans and Michael Van Gerwen - is the huge behemoth hit from this album, the rest is woefully overlooked. A great album, masterfully created by just the duo. Liked it at the time and loved it nostalgically.

Actual 5/5 EASY. I never listened to the full album before but I literally had it on repeat the whole day. What a great listen, the biggest stand out (outside of the obvious, Seven Nation Army and The Hardest Button to Button) was honestly the song Its True We Love One Another. I LOVED this song, I thought it was the cutest way to end this album. I really dug it as a nice garnish or cherry on top. It was cute bantery song that I 1000% did NOT expect on a White Stripes album. Also, Little Acorns!!! I mean there is so much to say but really this album I think basically because an instant classic in the music scene and has stood the test of time.

Liked it a lot, lots of bangers

I was backpacking through Greece when this album came out. The 1st time I vividly renumber hearing it was at a place called the "Orange Bar" on the Island of Ios. How many albums do you remember where you were the 1st time you heard them? I have no idea but I know this is one of them.

Banger after banger

The first song is a bit too omnipresent, of course. Still... On first listen after ages, it's a great album.

Jack White is a Emo/Punk/Blues/Goth guitar god. That is all. Album rocks.

This really is one of the great rock albums from the 00’s, really should be seen as a classic, that can compete with the best from the 60/70s. Yeah seven nation army has been played to death, but haven’t all great songs.

Yeah, this album freakin rocks. I had forgotten how great this band was. Love the stripped down and raw drums and guitar. Jack White's vocals ain't bad either. Off topic, Jack was my #1 rocker crush when I lived in Nashville and I waited tables. I'd see him every now and then and once ate one of his onion rings cause I'm gross like that. He's also a natural blonde and once saw him dressed in a head to toe crushed purple velvet pimp suit with matching hat and a cane. Early 2000s were a great time for Jack White. 5 stars.

Hard to beat for straight up rock, including a top five all time guitar riff.

A masterpiece. That’s all. Just a masterpiece.

Love this album. I liked White Blood Cells a lot as well, but I was obsessed with this one for a bit when it came out. Great stuff.

Generational talent

I am liking The White Stripes more and more and more.

Really great. One of my faves.

Near the beginning of this project we had the White Stripes’ White Blood Cells from 2001, then midway through the project their very different album Get Behind Me Satan from 2005. Now as this project draws to a close I get the album that originally made me aware of the White Stripes Elephant. I’ve listened to this around the time it debuted, and 7 Nation Army has been a part of my life ever since. Truly a great song. I would never have imagined the White Stripes would cover a Burt Bacharach song, but I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself is an amazing rock rendition that gives the song a whole new dimension. To me this is the White Stripes-iest album of all, at their peak where they appeared on mainstream radar. Then they dive into some experimenting on Get Behind Me Satan - something I really loved but apparently it “divided the critics”. These three albums really are the perfect White Stripes selections and deserve their places on this list.

QUE ÁLBUM MÁS BUENOOOOOO INCREIBLEEEE ASOMBROSO ESTE DÚO LA ROMPE PAPÁ 10/10

9/10

Overall good, Seven Nation Army and Hardest Button to Button reigns supreme

could i write poetry to this? y

Heavy on riffs, light on content. Or is it? I was ready to listen again the next day.

I love Jack White. I'll apologize to no one

This is a personal top 10 album

After only ever listening to 7 nation army, this album really opened my eyes to the White Stripes and their repertoire. My infant loved everything. Easiest 5/5 I’ve ever given

This album was a big taste maker for me when I was younger, and it's easy to hear why now. While it's made up of a lot of pop DNA there's enough different and daring decisions here that made it stand out to me when I was younger and show how to make the most of very little.

Varied and interesting. An excellent album

Just as great sounding as when it can out

"Jack white doesn't have to list nyquist plots in his sheets to sell his resumes!" Well I do! So fuck him, and fuck you too!

4.5 - I really like how it's mostly just guitar and drums. A lot of raw emotion and example of how less is more.

Jack White is just a ridiculously talented dude. Makes playing the guitar sound easy and I believe is a hugely talented song writer. He just understands rock and roll it seems. This is a solid 5 for me - I love it.

Been awhile since I’ve really listened to the white stripes. Good stuff

Handing out anthems With oily slick rhymes and riffs, Smoothly delivered

The White Stripes were the most innovative band of the early 2000s. Stripped down yet full, their sound was unlike anything else. Elephant was their masterpiece. Their first three albums were incredibly good but Elephant stands apart from those and subsequent albums in the quality of the songs. Seven Nation Army alone would make this great but the whole album is tuneful while being noisy. Afterwards, the quality of their albums went down. Icky Thump seemed like a return to form after the confusing Get Behind Me Satan but never rose to the level of Elephant. If you want to buy just one White Stripes album (though they are a bit like potato chips - you can't have just one) this is it.

Love White Stripes. Amazing album.

Loved it

Seven nation army is one of my fav White Stripes songs - 1st song on the album. Such a great start to a great album.

It sucks that most people only know this album (and this band) for being the source of that one sports arena song, because this is a cold stone classic. The White Stripes have a dead-simple blueprint: blues-ily flail around on guitar and drums (and ONLY guitar and drums) for a few minutes at a time, throw in some quiet-loud and stop-start dynamics, and pivot to acoustic guitar once in a while. Sounds like there's not much room to grow there, but that formula has somehow progressed and elevated here in a way that doesn't betray its principles while still evolving into new frontiers. The band kind of peaked here and then just gave up two albums later, which implies Elephant might be the limit of what two blues-punk wackos (only one of whom actually knows how to play their instrument) can accomplish. I'm cool with that, though, as this is a pretty awesome peak. Best song: Little Acorns

Like the album's namesake, it's a thundering triumph.

Great Sound, modern bluesrock from his finest 10/10…

This is the white stripes album I thought would be on here, not the other one I already got. To this day I can't remember off hand if they were married or siblings. In the cold cold night make a lovely intermission. I want to be the boy(...) had a nice guitar groove. Enjoyable rock album. Highlights: seven nation army (an amazing opener with its stripped-down start), hardest button to button, in the cold cold night, i want to be the boy...

F-ing great

So much love for Elephant. It’s a sentimental album for me; takes me back to my teens. Fond memories of my friend and I cranking up the car stereo to blast Seven Nation Army.

Already one of my go to albums, 5*

nice

Love it

Classic. A bit more chill than i remembered

Epic album.

There isn’t a bad song on this fantastic album. I’m so glad I rediscovered this after not listening to it in its entirety for ages.

This record was great. White Stripes have always been on my radar but I've never taken the plunge. This album is genre defying music. Jack white is a mixture of Jimmy Page meets Pete Townsend meets Kurt Cobain meets Bob Dylan meets The Stooges and dashed with a little bit of Nashville Tennessee. I truly think Jack White is an artist. I'm torn with giving this a rating. Part of me thinks 5 but part of me thinks 4 as there are some songs on this record that were only meh. I can't discredit Seven Nation Army as that song is a staple to the white Stripes and if memory serves me well, Jack White wrote that song as almost an anti single and then it became one his most popular songs. I appreciate Jack White and all that he does for music.

no skips.

The best of the White Stripes

Cool. 4/5. Nice bluesy vibes here and there.

At some point, my wife drew my attention to this album from her collection. I didn't know it yet and was thrilled. Since then, Seven Nation Army has been a permanent fixture in my favorite songs and party playlists. I find it remarkable that I always had the impression that I had heard this album in my early youth. Great 5/5

What an absolute banger. From the calmer songs to the legendary ones. Only would point out 'Little Acorns' as a let down for its intro. Enjoyed this album a lot. Expected Marc Rating: 4

One of, if not the, best rock albums of this century. That includes probably the most recognizable guitar riff of the last 30 years in Seven Nation Army. "Ball and Biscuit" is also a personal favorite.

This album is amazing. Defined an entire genre.

do i even need to tell you this is a 10/10 album

Full and meaty sound…iconic opening track. A musical talent for sure and always intriguing on what sounds he’ll curate together. Unpredictable and I’m here for it.

Non stop bangers. Each song hits it out of the park

2 Stripes album in the last 10 days. Love it. Great album.

An album I’ve heard but never really listened to if that makes sense. I didn’t get into the white stripes - probably because I was going through my “it’s popular so can’t be good” phase. Well I’m proven wrong as this album is an absolute joy from beginning to end. Starting with the best bassline ever and just keeping the momentum going for the entire album. Ball and biscuit being an absolute highlight.

Such an underrated album. Everyone has heard Seven Nation Army. And for most bands with one-hit wonders like that, you wouldn't expect much from the rest of their catalogue. But the White Stripes hit a home-run with this album for me. It is filled with unique, high energy songs front to back. Jack White's vocal performance reminds me a lot of Robert Plan from Led Zeppelin.

First time listening to this album. I only ever knew Seven Nation Army from playing it as a stand tune in high school marching band. It's perfection.

5, bitches.

It's true we love one another, cold cold night, ball and bisquit

Was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. I thought it was all about "Seven Nation Army" but the back end of this album in particular is pretty glorious.

A really good album!

Brilliant album. Jack White is a genius.

A true classic, one I have listened to many times!

Brilliant. Just brilliant!

Semplicemente pazzeschi.

I mean I could just be super basic and give it 5 stars just for 7 nations army, but honestly I thought the rest of the album slapped too

Ball and Biscuit on is a real treat.

"Elephant" by The White Stripes is a thunderous and electrifying album that showcases the raw energy and stripped-down brilliance of the duo. From the pounding drums of "Seven Nation Army" to the bluesy wails of "Ball and Biscuit," each track on this album is a testament to the White Stripes' mastery of their craft. Jack White's guitar riffs are as fierce as ever, cutting through the air with a razor-sharp intensity, while Meg White's primal drumming provides the perfect backbone for the songs. The album's production is deliberately minimalistic, allowing the band's chemistry and charisma to shine through. Lyrically, "Elephant" explores themes of love, loss, and longing with a poetic honesty that resonates deeply. Jack White's impassioned vocals inject every word with emotion, drawing listeners into the heart of each song's narrative. Standout tracks like "The Hardest Button to Button" and "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself" are instant classics, but there's not a weak moment to be found on the entire album. "Elephant" is a masterpiece of modern rock, a timeless collection of songs that continues to captivate audiences with its raw power and undeniable charm.

Good stuff

I so love this damn album...and the Stripes!

I need to be careful, because I could describe all the things I love about this album in detail, and I don't want to get too long winded. The songs are incredibly well crafted, from lyrics, to guitar riffs, to offsetting the drums. The back half of the album simply cannot keep to the same standard of the first half, but it's still really good.

Now *this* is the White Stripes album that should be in this collection--so much better than "White Blood Cells", and so much better than a lot of albums out there, frankly. I own this album, and I enjoy it every time I hear it, even if Jack White's voice can sometimes be a bit grating. I feel like they achieved a really nice balance in this album, and nearly every song is both fun and (fairly) distinctive. I'm not sure it deserves a full five stars, but they're getting it nonetheless. :)

Started out with seven nation army and I thought it was going to be a one hit only album, but I loved every song. 5 stars.